The Charlotte Jewish News - December 2008 - Page 31
Did You Know This About Jewish Family Services?
It’s been here since 1980, and
certainly the community knows at
least a little about Jewish Family
Services ...
"They work with seniors, I
think. ”
"Don’t they have that food
pantry?"
"Heard the name, they do good
things for families, right? ”
Well, yes, all that’s true but
there’s much more. Although most
people are aware that JFS is a
social service and counseling
agency with a mission to serve
Jewish families in need in the
Charlotte region, here are a few
things you may not know about
the range of services, the profes
sional clinicians, and the diverse
families and individuals who
depend on the agency.
There *s No Age Limit
The JFS clinical staff offers
years of experience in providing
therapy for clients of all ages.
Clients can be four years old or
100 (although most fall some
where in between). Among the
staff members are a children’s
specialist with expertise in play
therapy, special needs, and parent
ing skills and a counselor special
izing in the needs of older adults.
There are therapists who special
ize in adolescents, child develop
ment, family, couple counseling,
domestic abuse and vocational
counseling. The JFS staff works
with families, couples and indi
viduals to help with a wide range
of issues: depression, anxiety,
transition, phobias, school per
formance, behavioral problems,
divorce, grief and loss, and many
other areas of concern. '■
Those Letters aren V So
Mysterious After All
All therapists at JFS have pro
fessional licenses and credentials
and/or hold advanced degrees. But
what do these letters and
acronyms mean? LCSW is a
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
and an MSW is a Masters' of
Social Work. JFS therapists have
both the credentials and experi
ence to provide effective council
for their clients. When you choose
JFS, you are assured of receiving
some of the highest quality treat
ment available anywhere in
Charlotte.
Confidentiality is 100%
Guaranteed
The policy at JFS is to serve
clients in a dignified and confi
dential manner. The agency is
HIPPA-compliant and information
is never shared without written
approval from the individual or
family. The only exception to this
policy is in cases where clients
may cause harm to themselves or
others.
Flexible Hours Accommodate
Busy Schedules
Working clients have the
advantage of evening hours at
JFS. Clinicians work with clients
to accommodate their schedules.
The agoncy also offers a 24-hour
on-call program for emergency
clinical needs. Staff members are
available 24 hours a day, seven
days a week, to help with non
medical clinical emergencies.
The Friends Campaign is More
Important than Ever
To keep pace with rising insur
ance costs and increased needs,
JFS turns to the community once a
year for support. Without the
funds raised during the annual
Friends Campaign, JFS couldn’t
continue to offer its comprehen
sive range of programs and servic
es. More than 2,000 families and
individuals were helped by JFS in
2008, and more are expected to
seek the agency’s assistance this
year. Every donation, no matter
how big or small, makes a differ
ence.
The Food Pantry Offers More
than Food
It offers essentials for daily liv
ing. Accessed more than 200
times each month, the food pantry
provides extra support for families
and individuals struggling to make
ends meet. In November alone, 77
adults and 31 children visited the
pantry for food items, toiletries,
household products such as deter
gent and soap, and gift certificates
for fresh foods at area supermar
kets. The food pantry is a “mini
pantry” for the emergency food
program Loaves and Fishes, from
which JFS receives some of our
food along with the generous par
ticipation of our school children,
the JCC sports teams, temples and
community members. Donations
are always needed, welcomed and
appreciated. You can get a “sug
gested shopping list” of needed
items from the JFS office. The
pantry always needs one-dish
meals such as hearty soups, beef
stew, chicken and dumplings,
Mitzvah Baskets
Because
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cu$tont ■ vour
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leoiiday i'jf'y
Call Nancy Bernstein (JFS Board Member) (704) S42-8864
Prices begin at $18.00; donations are tax deductible.
Mitzvah Baskets are custom-tailored for life cycle celebrations and
organization programs.
AU^ proceeds go directly to JFS Food Pantry
canned chicken, tuna, salmon,
cereals, peanut butter and jelly, as'
well as paper goods, personal
items such as deodorant, sham
poo, detergent and dishwashing
liquid.
Volunteers are a Big Part of the
JFS Success Story
JFS maintains a core of
Mitzvah Maker volunteers to help
with a variety of programs and
services, and there’s always room
for more. In 2008, over 900 volun
teer hours were logged. JFS works
with volunteers’ schedules to find
the best fit. The greatest demand is
for drivers to take clients to doc
tors’ appointments. Volunteers
also help with administrative
functions, cook meals, and help
with holidays and special projects.
If you are interested in becoming a
Mitzvah Maker volunteer, please
call the JFS office.
Tribute Cards Allow You to
Receive While You Give
Purchasing JFS tribute cards
is an easy, convenient way to
(Continued on page 33)
WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 24